Senior Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Graphic Designer

Company: Underdog

Location: United States/Remote

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Marketing / Creative / Design Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-18

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is central to the evolution and execution of the Underdog brand's visual identity, requiring a Senior Graphic Designer to translate brand direction into compelling visual assets across multiple channels.

• The position demands end-to-end campaign design leadership, from initial brief to final delivery, with a strong emphasis on creative ownership and pushing visual quality standards.

• A key aspect involves flexing creative styles, confidently shifting between high-production campaign work and authentic, culturally-tuned UGC-style content.

• The Senior Graphic Designer will collaborate closely with Marketing and Product teams, ensuring narrative cohesion and visual consistency across all touchpoints, including social media, paid advertising, email, CRM, and partnerships.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the input title is "Senior Graphic Designer," the responsibilities and company context (fast-growing sports company, remote-first, high ownership) suggest a role that operates with a degree of "design operations" thinking, focusing on brand consistency, asset management (Frontify), and efficient execution across diverse channels. The role requires a strong understanding of visual storytelling within a fast-paced, dynamic marketing environment, making it relevant to operations professionals who value structured creative output.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Translate and execute evolving brand direction into exciting, energetic, and consistently Underdog-branded visuals for social media, paid campaigns, email marketing, CRM, partnerships, and product touchpoints.

• Lead the entire lifecycle of campaign design projects, from interpreting the creative brief and developing concepts to delivering final, high-quality assets, ensuring visual excellence at every stage.

• Adapt creative execution to match diverse channel requirements, confidently producing both polished, high-production campaign assets and authentic, culturally relevant, UGC-style content.

• Partner closely with Marketing and Product teams to infuse personality, narrative depth, and unified visual consistency into creative assets across all platforms and user experiences.

• Manage and maintain the brand asset library within Frontify, ensuring all internal and external stakeholders have access to current, accurate, and on-brand visual resources.

• Proactively contribute creative ideas and strategic visual perspectives, driving projects forward with initiative and a strong sense of ownership.

• Develop and craft compelling headlines, captions, and short-form copy that effectively integrate with visual elements to enhance campaign messaging and impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "end-to-end campaign design," "flex across styles," and "upload assets to Frontify" indicates a need for robust project management and asset governance skills, which are core to design operations. The responsibility to "bring a point of view" and "contribute ideas proactively" highlights the strategic and ownership aspects expected beyond pure execution.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent knowledge and practical application is paramount. A Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a related field is often preferred in traditional settings, but practical experience and a compelling portfolio will take precedence for this role.

Experience: 5-8 years of professional graphic design experience, gained either in-house at a company or within an agency environment. This experience should showcase a breadth of work across various mediums and a well-defined, confident visual aesthetic.

Required Skills:

• Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud, with a particular emphasis on Photoshop and Illustrator, demonstrating speed, precision, and adaptability.

• Proven ability to create visually captivating assets that stop scrolling and generate excitement, understanding the nuances of digital engagement and brand memorability.

• Demonstrated skill in producing both high-fidelity, polished campaign designs and authentic, culturally attuned UGC-style content.

• Strong understanding of brand guidelines and the ability to work within established systems while knowing when and how to push creative boundaries.

• Exceptional self-starter mentality, capable of identifying next steps and taking initiative without constant direction.

• Daily practical experience using AI tools for design acceleration and critical thinking on their application to enhance speed and output quality.

• Proficiency in crafting effective headlines, captions, and short-form copy that complement visual elements and strengthen brand messaging.

• Advanced project management capabilities, including the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects, consistently meet deadlines, and navigate complex workflows independently. Preferred Skills:

• Experience in illustration, logo design, or broader branding initiatives.

• Proficiency in motion graphics or animation, given the brand's presence in video-first environments.

• Previous experience contributing to or managing a rebranding effort.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 5-8 years of experience and the emphasis on "self-starter," "point of view," and "AI tools daily" suggest a candidate expected to operate with significant autonomy and strategic input, typical of a senior-level role. The preference for illustration and motion skills points towards a desire for multi-talented individuals who can contribute to richer media formats.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio demonstrating a wide range of design applications, including high-impact campaigns, dynamic social media content, digital assets, and foundational branding elements.

• Clear evidence of the candidate's ability to translate strategic briefs into visually compelling and effective creative executions that align with brand objectives.

• Demonstration of how the candidate has successfully managed the design process from concept to final delivery, highlighting problem-solving and execution skills.

• Examples that showcase the candidate's ability to adapt their design style to different contexts, from polished corporate campaigns to more informal, user-generated content formats. Process Documentation:

• Showcase understanding of the design workflow, from brief interpretation and concept development through iterative refinement and final asset delivery, emphasizing efficiency and quality control.

• Examples of how the candidate has implemented and managed brand assets, potentially referencing systems like Frontify or similar digital asset management (DAM) tools, and ensuring brand consistency across multiple channels.

• Demonstrate experience in collaborating with cross-functional teams (e.g., Marketing, Product) to gather requirements, iterate on designs, and ensure successful integration of creative assets.

• Highlight the use of design tools and technologies, including proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite and an understanding of how to leverage AI tools for enhanced workflow and creative output.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio that shows "range," the specific mention of "Frontify," and the need to "collaborate closely with Marketing and Product teams" suggest that candidates will be evaluated on their ability to manage design projects within a structured, collaborative, and system-driven environment, aligning with design operations best practices.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: The target starting base salary range for this position is between $94,000 and $110,000 USD annually. This range is a guideline, and the final compensation will be determined based on a comprehensive evaluation of relevant experience, demonstrated skills, interview performance, and broader market considerations.

Benefits:

• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO): For full-time employees, offering significant flexibility, with a note that the initial weeks before and during the NFL season require careful coordination.

• Comprehensive Parental Leave: 16 weeks of fully paid parental leave for eligible employees.

• Home Office Stipend: Financial support to set up or enhance a remote workspace.

• 401k with Employer Match: Retirement savings plan with up to a 5% employer match.

• Health Insurance: Company-paid options for health, dental, and vision plans, covering employees and dependents.

• Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Option for pre-tax savings on healthcare and dependent care expenses.

• Company-Sponsored Events: Opportunities to celebrate sports teams through local meetups and company-wide events.

• Enterprise AI Tools: Access to Claude and ChatGPT enterprise accounts, facilitating advanced creative and productivity workflows.

Working Hours: While not explicitly stated, a standard full-time workweek of approximately 40 hours is generally expected. The company emphasizes flexibility, particularly given its remote-first nature, though specific operational needs around key sporting seasons (like the NFL) will require careful planning and availability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided ($94,000-$110,000) is noted as a starting point for a Senior Graphic Designer in the US. Based on remote work in the US, this range is competitive for experienced designers, reflecting the typical compensation for roles requiring significant creative ownership and execution in a growth-stage tech company. Benefits are comprehensive, aligning with industry standards for attracting and retaining talent in a remote-first environment.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Sports Technology / Fantasy Sports / Sports Betting. Underdog operates within the rapidly evolving digital sports entertainment landscape, focusing on creating engaging products for sports fans. This industry is characterized by high growth, data-driven decision-making, and a need for innovative marketing to capture user attention.

Company Size: The input does not specify company size, but the description of "one of the fastest-growing sports companies ever" and a "remote-first by design" culture suggests a dynamic, likely mid-to-large-sized organization that has experienced significant scaling and expansion since its founding. This implies a need for adaptable processes and a culture that can support growth.

Founded: Founded in 2020, Underdog is a relatively young company that has achieved rapid success. This recent founding means the company culture is likely still evolving, with a strong emphasis on agility, innovation, and a forward-thinking approach to product development and marketing.

Team Structure:

• The design team is likely integrated within the broader Marketing and/or Product departments, given the collaborative responsibilities mentioned. As a "Senior Graphic Designer," this role might be the primary design resource for certain initiatives or part of a growing creative team.

• The reporting structure would likely be to a Creative Director, Head of Marketing, or Head of Product Design, depending on the organizational setup.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a cornerstone, with close partnerships expected with Marketing for campaigns and Product for touchpoint consistency. Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: Given the industry, a data-driven approach is expected, with creative decisions informed by user engagement metrics, campaign performance, and market trends.

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: The emphasis on speed, execution, and leveraging AI tools suggests a focus on streamlined workflows and continuous optimization of the creative process.

• Automation & Efficiency: The use of AI tools and the need for efficient asset management point towards an embrace of automation to scale creative output and maintain brand consistency.

Company Website: [Official Underdog Website URL - not provided, but typically officialunderdog.com or similar]

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's rapid growth and "remote-first by design" model suggest a culture that values autonomy, initiative, and strong communication. The "give a sh*t" core value indicates a high bar for performance and engagement. The industry context implies a fast-paced, competitive environment where creative execution is critical for user acquisition and retention.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as "Senior," indicating a level of expertise, autonomy, and leadership in execution. It's not an entry-level or junior position, nor is it typically a management role overseeing a team, but rather a senior individual contributor expected to drive significant creative output and influence visual direction. The emphasis on "high-ownership execution" and "bringing a point of view" reinforces this.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Graphic Designer will likely report to a Creative Director, Marketing Lead, or Head of Design. This structure allows for strategic guidance while providing the autonomy expected of a senior role. Collaboration with Marketing and Product teams is a key aspect of the day-to-day interaction.

Operations Impact: The Senior Graphic Designer's work directly impacts Underdog's brand perception, user engagement, and ultimately, revenue. High-quality, impactful visual campaigns are crucial for user acquisition in the competitive sports tech market. Effective brand consistency across all touchpoints builds trust and recognition, contributing to customer loyalty and lifetime value. The role's ability to "stop a scroll" and "create excitement" has a direct correlation with conversion rates and user growth.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization & Leadership: Potential to become a go-to expert for specific campaign types or brand initiatives, leading visual strategy for new product launches or major marketing pushes.

• Skill Expansion: Opportunities to develop advanced skills in areas like motion graphics, illustration, or even contribute to broader brand strategy as the company scales.

• Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior designers as the team grows, developing leadership capabilities.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Deepen understanding of marketing strategy, product development, and user experience through close collaboration, opening doors to broader roles within GTM functions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title implies a clear career path beyond this role, potentially into Lead Designer, Art Director, or even management positions, especially in a high-growth company. The focus on "ownership" and "point of view" suggests opportunities for strategic input that can accelerate career growth.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company operates on a "virtual-first" model, meaning there is no traditional central office for daily work. Instead, the work environment is distributed, with employees operating remotely from their home offices.

Office Location(s): While the role is "United States/Remote," the company does organize "regular in-person gatherings." These are described as "off-sites, trainings, hackathons, and more," suggesting they are strategic events for team building, collaboration, and intensive project work, rather than day-to-day office attendance. Specific locations for these gatherings are not detailed but would likely be in major US cities to facilitate attendance.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Despite being remote-first, Underdog emphasizes being "highly collaborative." This is facilitated through digital tools and scheduled in-person events designed to foster strong team connections and collective problem-solving.

• Tools & Technology: Employees are equipped with enterprise accounts for tools like Claude and ChatGPT, and a home office stipend is provided, indicating a commitment to providing the necessary resources for a productive remote workspace.

• Team Interaction: Regular digital communication channels (like Slack) and planned in-person events ensure opportunities for interaction, knowledge sharing, and building camaraderie within the operations and creative teams.

Work Schedule: The company offers "Unlimited PTO" and emphasizes flexibility, suggesting a focus on results and output rather than strict adherence to a 9-to-5 schedule. However, the note about the NFL season indicates that periods of high demand will require significant availability and commitment. The work schedule is designed to accommodate a remote workforce while ensuring operational needs, particularly during peak business periods, are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "virtual-first" model with periodic in-person gatherings is a common structure for fast-growing tech companies seeking to balance flexibility with team cohesion. This requires strong self-discipline and communication skills from employees. The mention of the NFL season highlights critical operational periods requiring heightened availability.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications, experience, and visual sensibility. Be prepared to showcase a range of work that demonstrates your ability to meet the core responsibilities.

• Portfolio Deep Dive: Likely an interview with the hiring manager or a design lead to walk through your portfolio. Focus on projects that highlight your campaign design, adaptability (high-production vs. UGC), and problem-solving skills. Clearly articulate your role, the process, and the impact of your work.

• Skills & Collaboration Assessment: Interviews may include discussions about your experience with Adobe Creative Cloud, AI tools, and your approach to collaboration with marketing and product teams. Behavioral questions will likely assess your self-starter mentality and ability to push work forward.

• Creative Challenge/Case Study: A potential exercise or case study where you might be asked to respond to a design brief, develop concepts, or critique existing creative work. This assesses your strategic thinking, creative process, and ability to articulate your design rationale under pressure.

• Final Interview: Possibly with a senior leader to assess cultural fit and overall alignment with the company's mission and values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 5-7 of your strongest, most relevant projects. Prioritize those that showcase campaign design, social media execution, and versatility across different styles (polished vs. scrappy).

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the brief, your role, the challenges you faced, your creative process, the tools used (including AI), and the measurable impact or outcome. Use visuals effectively to guide the viewer.

• Showcase Adaptability: Include examples that demonstrate your ability to work within brand guidelines as well as push creative boundaries, and your comfort with both high-production and UGC-native aesthetics.

• Highlight Efficiency: If possible, include examples where you leveraged tools or processes to achieve results efficiently, especially mentioning AI tool usage if applicable.

• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design choices, how you handle feedback, how you manage multiple projects, and your perspective on the Underdog brand.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Brand: Thoroughly research Underdog's current brand, products, and marketing efforts. Analyze their social media presence, campaigns, and overall visual identity.

• Anticipate Briefs: Consider potential design challenges related to sports, fantasy leagues, betting, and fan engagement. Think about how you would create excitement and drive engagement.

• Practice Articulation: Be ready to clearly explain your design decisions, process, and rationale. Practice presenting your ideas concisely and persuasively, as if you were presenting to stakeholders.

• Time Management: If a timed challenge is given, practice working under pressure to deliver a thoughtful, well-executed response within the allotted time.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "campaign design end-to-end," "flex across styles," and "collaboration" in the responsibilities directly informs the application and portfolio review process. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate these capabilities through their work and interview responses. The mention of AI tools suggests they might be a topic of discussion or even part of a practical challenge.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Cloud: Essential proficiency in Photoshop and Illustrator for core graphic design tasks, image manipulation, and vector creation.

• Frontify: Specifically mentioned for brand asset management, indicating a need for familiarity with DAM systems for organizing, storing, and distributing brand assets.

• AI Design Tools: Daily use and critical thinking around applications like Claude and ChatGPT (enterprise accounts provided) for accelerating workflows, generating ideas, and potentially assisting with copywriting.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly stated as a requirement for the designer, understanding how creative assets perform on various channels (social, paid, email) is crucial. Familiarity with analytics dashboards (e.g., Google Analytics, social media insights, email marketing platform reports) to interpret performance data and inform future creative decisions would be highly beneficial. CRM & Automation:

• Experience designing assets for CRM platforms (e.g., email marketing, push notifications) is implied. Understanding how creative integrates with automated marketing workflows and customer journeys is advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Adobe Creative Cloud, Frontify, and enterprise AI accounts (Claude, ChatGPT) highlights the core technical requirements. While direct experience with CRM/automation tools isn't listed as a must-have, understanding their application in the context of design for marketing channels is a practical necessity for this role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Give a Sh*t: This core value signifies a high level of passion, commitment, and dedication. Operations professionals are expected to genuinely care about the product, the users, and the quality of their work, driving them to push boundaries and perform at a high level.

• High Performance & Execution: The company seeks individuals who can "push and perform." This translates to a culture that values results, efficiency, and delivering high-quality work consistently, especially in a fast-paced, remote-first environment.

• Collaboration & Agility: While remote, the company is "highly collaborative" and "moves fast." This implies a culture that encourages open communication, teamwork, and the ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities and market dynamics.

• Innovation & Initiative: The emphasis on bringing a "point of view" and being a "self-starter" points to a culture that rewards proactive thinking, creativity, and taking ownership of projects and ideas.

• Fun & Engagement: The company makes "sports more fun" and encourages celebrating sports teams, suggesting a culture that values passion for the industry and fosters a sense of community and enjoyment in the workplace.

Collaboration Style:

• Digital-First, In-Person Enhanced: Collaboration primarily occurs through digital channels (Slack, etc.) but is significantly boosted by planned in-person gatherings designed for intensive team building and project sprints.

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role requires close, ongoing collaboration with Marketing and Product teams, indicating a need for strong communication skills and the ability to integrate design perspectives into broader team strategies.

• Feedback & Iteration: A fast-paced environment often means a culture of rapid feedback loops and iterative development, where designers are expected to receive and provide constructive input efficiently.

• Knowledge Sharing: With a remote-first setup, active participation in sharing knowledge, best practices, and creative insights across teams is crucial for collective growth and efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The unique "give a sh*t" value and the "got that dog in you?" tagline suggest a company culture that is passionate, driven, and perhaps a bit unconventional. Operations professionals who thrive in high-energy, results-oriented environments with a strong sense of purpose will likely find this appealing.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Brand Consistency with Creative Agility: Maintaining a cohesive brand identity across diverse channels while also producing scrappy, authentic UGC-style content can be a significant challenge requiring careful strategic execution.

• Remote Collaboration Effectiveness: Ensuring seamless collaboration and clear communication within a remote-first environment, especially when driving complex creative projects, requires proactive effort and robust digital communication strategies.

• Pace of a High-Growth Company: Operating in a "fast-growing sports company" means adapting to rapid changes, evolving priorities, and a high volume of work, particularly during peak sports seasons.

• Leveraging AI Tools Effectively: Critically evaluating and integrating AI tools into the design workflow to enhance efficiency and creativity without compromising the quality or originality of the work.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Creative Techniques: Opportunities to deepen skills in illustration, motion graphics, and branding through project work and potential company-sponsored training.

• Strategic Brand Influence: Growing from an execution-focused role to having more strategic input on brand direction and campaign conceptualization.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Gaining deeper insights into marketing strategy, product development, and user acquisition through close collaboration with other departments.

• Industry Trends: Staying at the forefront of design trends within the rapidly evolving sports tech and digital media landscape.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly tied to the company's operating model (remote, fast-growth) and the nature of the role (brand execution across diverse channels). Growth opportunities are framed around skill enhancement and increasing strategic influence, typical for a senior individual contributor role in a scaling organization.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance a high-production campaign with scrappy, UGC-style content. How did you ensure consistency and effectiveness for both?" (Assesses adaptability and brand stewardship)

• "Walk us through a campaign you led from brief to completion. What was your process, what challenges did you overcome, and what was the impact?" (Evaluates end-to-end ownership and execution)

• "How do you approach using AI tools in your design workflow? Can you give an example of how you've used them to improve speed or creative output?" (Tests innovation and practical application of new technologies)

• "How do you ensure visual consistency across multiple channels, especially when collaborating with different teams like Marketing and Product?" (Probes collaboration and brand governance skills) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about the Underdog brand and the sports tech industry?" (Assesses genuine interest and cultural fit)

• "How do you embody our 'give a sh*t' value in your work?" (Evaluates commitment and passion)

• "Describe your ideal remote work environment and how you stay motivated and productive." (Gauges fit for a remote-first culture)

• "How do you handle constructive criticism or feedback on your designs, especially in a fast-paced environment?" (Assesses receptiveness to feedback and adaptability) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio to tell a clear story for each project: problem/brief, your role/process, solution/creative, and results/impact.

• Visual Storytelling: Use high-quality visuals and concise text to explain your design decisions. Highlight the "why" behind your choices.

• Demonstrate Range: Ensure your presented projects clearly showcase your ability to handle both polished campaign design and authentic UGC-style content.

• Quantify Results: If possible, include metrics (engagement rates, conversion improvements, etc.) to demonstrate the effectiveness of your designs.

• AI Integration: Be prepared to discuss how you used AI tools in specific projects and the benefits they provided.

• Conciseness: Practice presenting your key projects within a set timeframe (e.g., 15-20 minutes) to respect the interviewer's time.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview questions are designed to probe for the core competencies outlined in the job description: creative execution, adaptability, collaboration, initiative, and cultural fit. Portfolio presentation is key, and candidates should be ready to articulate their process, choices, and impact, especially concerning the diverse range of creative output expected.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Greenhouse.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in campaign design, digital marketing assets, social media content, and brand identity execution. Use keywords from the job description such as "Adobe Creative Cloud," "Photoshop," "Illustrator," "campaign design," "UGC-style content," and "AI tools." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select your most relevant and impactful projects. Ensure it showcases your range from high-production campaigns to scrappy UGC-style work. Prepare a concise narrative for each project, detailing your role, process, challenges, and outcomes. Be ready to discuss your use of AI tools.

• Prepare for the Interview: Research Underdog's brand, products, and recent marketing efforts. Anticipate questions about your creative process, collaboration style, and how you handle feedback. Practice articulating your design rationale and presenting your portfolio confidently.

• Understand the Culture: Familiarize yourself with Underdog's values, particularly "give a sh*t" and their remote-first, fast-paced environment. Be ready to discuss how you align with these cultural aspects.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.